The Blood of Brotherhood
by Merrie
Summary: Methos and Kronos were brothers. In arms, in blood, in everything except birth. What exactly does this mean for Immortals? WIP
1. Chapter One

The Blood of Brotherhood by Merrie Thomas Part I  
  
  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own nor claim to own Methos, Kronos, MacLeod, Amanda, Joe, Cassandra or any other characters from Highlander. If I did own them, I would be making new episodes instead of writing fan fiction in place of new episodes. Oh well. (sigh)  
  
Summary: Methos and Kronos were brothers. In arms, in blood, in everything except birth. What exactly does this mean for Immortals?  
  
  
  
Characters: DM, J, M, A, C, K, Valerie Viscount OFC  
  
  
  
Author's Note: This is an alternate-universe story based around the events of Comes A Horseman and Revelations 6:8, WARNING if you don't wish to read about a Kronos romance, you may still read this story, but you won't like parts of it. Also, I live in the Midwest and I have traveled few places in my life, so I took some liberty and made some stuff up about the cities mentioned here. No offense is intended. Please send comments, criticism, and/or general feedback to Thank you.  
  
  
  
Rating: This story is rated PG-13 for language and violence.  
  
Chapter One  
  
The scent of blood hung in the air. The white sand was stained a luscious crimson red. Kronos reveled in it. The raid had been perfection. Well, he mused, all raids under Methos' plans were.  
  
The caravan hadn't had a chance. They had never even seen it coming. With the sun at their backs, the Horsemen rode onto unsuspecting victims. That made it all the more fun. The riders in the caravan were slaughtered mercilessly. No one, not a soul had survived. It had been glorious.  
  
That feeling was dashed away when Kronos saw what meager bounty they had come up with. Pickings had been getting slim lately. Too many other warlords around, he guessed. Well, there was always one way to solve that minor problem. Kronos walked over to where Methos was cleaning the blood out of his cloak. "Really, brother, I don't see why you insist on wearing white all the time. It just gets ruined. Why don't you just leave the blood in there? The color is becoming on you, brother."  
  
"I like the white," Methos, the one Kronos called brother, answered. "It makes me more noticeable."  
  
"Oh, I think you get plenty of notice already, brother. It's kind of difficult not too." Kronos looked down and smirked when Methos finally gave up his scrubbing and stood up to look at him.  
  
"All right, brother. You win. This place bores me. Let us go and find ourselves some entertainment. And why don't we leave Silas and Caspian here, this time? The last time, we ended up having to kill off that entire village." Methos said with a small frown as he pulled on his damp, blood- stained cloak.  
  
"It wasn't our fault that Caspian wanted to eat their leader, now was it?"  
  
"And when he decided, he'd rather live?"  
  
"Well, that was his problem, now wasn't it, brother?" Kronos asked, looking innocent.  
  
Methos sighed. "I guess so, brother. Anyway, let us be off."  
  
Seacouver, Washington 1997  
  
Methos snapped awake with a start. A dream.'I haven't thought about that particular day for a very, very, long time' was the first thing he thought of as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. 'Kronos . . . ' He hadn't really thought about or heard from his brother in a long time either. Well, except to make sure he was still alive, but Methos was positive about that. His own life depended on it.  
  
Methos stretched and got ready for the morning. No, wait, glancing at the clock, he amended himself. It wasn't morning, it was in the afternoon. Late afternoon, at that. His grinned as his stomach rumbled. He put on a pair of elfin slippers that he had gotten from Amanda one Christmas and padded toward the kitchen. He opened the refrigerator and pulled out a beer. 'Breakfast. Hmm... ' he thought with a wry grin. 'Well, it's not like it can kill me.' He shrugged it off and went to get the newspaper. As he sat down to read it at the dining table the dream came back to him. A dream of his Horsemen days. There were few people still alive that actually knew about that particular time in his life. And he liked to keep it that way. Especially with a friend like Duncan MacLeod, the white knight incarnate. The ever honorable boy scout. Methos figured that if he had even hinted to MacLeod about his darker past, he would never see the man again. And yet, Methos knew that the man himself had his own dark past. Now, granted, it wasn't as dark as Methos' own, giving that he had slaughtered thousand upon thousands of innocent people and MacLeod had merely gone into a vengeful rage and killed a few here and there, but MacLeod was a mere 400 years of age or there abouts, compared to Methos' own 5000 or there abouts. Who knew how many regrets one would have in that amount of time? Methos knew that he had quite a few. How many regrets would he have in another 5000 years? If he even lived that long. Methos' mind refused to think about that possibility. He did wonder what would happen if MacLeod ever did find out about him, though. It was hard not to. Especially with a mind as pessimistic as his could be at times. Sometimes even his own mind worked against him. Methos scolded himself. How could MacLeod ever find out? His other brothers, Caspian and Silas, would care too little to tell him, even if they were still alive, which Methos doubted. He hadn't really kept in touch or track of them over the centuries. And as for Kronos, well . . . he would probably tell MacLeod, but Methos hadn't heard from him in almost a century. He sometimes wondered what he was doing with himself these days. Probably causing havoc on some innocent mortal. Methos smiled. Yes, he could see Kronos doing that right now. Enjoying the hell out of it the entire time like he himself used too. God, how he missed those days sometimes . . . Methos stopped that train of thought before it could get any further. That left only one person that he knew of that could possibly be a threat to his friendship to MacLeod. Cassandra. He should have killed her when he had the chance. No, he stopped that line of thought too. There was too much of Kronos in him for his own good. His brother would be amused. He wondered, in turn, if there some part of himself in Kronos. Probably. It seemed likely, considering. Methos finished his beer and decided it was too nice a day to stay inside so he got dressed and went for a walk.  
  
*** Bordeaux, France  
  
Kronos surveyed the main room of the abandoned sub base. It had taken him years to find such a place and even longer to create it, along with a large sum of money; which Kronos had, of course, but now it was finally complete. It was comforting, somehow. Relaxing. It reminded him of a better time and place. A place where he and his brothers ruled the known world. And ravaged it.  
  
He'd even decorated the place in honor of his brothers, should they ever be together again in one place. Four chairs at the large main table, four rooms. But Kronos doubted that they all survived the millennia. Kronos wondered how he had survived himself in some of his darker self reflections. He knew Methos had survived, but that was all. And that was one of the reasons Kronos himself had survived. In some ways he considered himself a bit lucky to have a blood brother who valued his survival higher than everything else. But for his other brothers, Kronos had not heard from Caspian or Silas for centuries now. He often wondered whatever happened to them. Maybe one day he would find out. Or, better yet, maybe one day he would see them again in this place like he dreamed. He could go searching for Methos, he knew how to find him, but it wasn't really worth it. Without Silas and Caspian, the four horsemen could never be again. Kronos, again in his darker moments of self doubt, wondered if having Caspian and Silas would have really changed this fact, but a small, self-conscious voice in the back of Kronos' mind told him that it would never be the same. Ever. The horsemen's time was the Bronze Age, and they had taken full advantage of it. In this world of modern technology, the tactics of that time would never work. Unless, of course, they were forced upon people. But no, Kronos liked the new world. He liked modern technology. He even liked computers. In fact, he was quite adept when it came to using them. Kronos was fascinated with this new century, with the whole millennium in fact. If someone had come up to him back in the Bronze Age and told him about all the things he would see in his long life, almost 4000 years, he would have killed them on the spot for trying to make a fool out of him. Kronos chuckled. He did so love being who he was. He was glad that wasn't changed after Methos became his brother. Kronos didn't like to think of the consequences of that fateful day, but most of the time it was unavoidable. He and Methos were blood brothers. There was no way around it.  
  
***  
  
Methos' walking was conveniently leading him nowhere, or so he had originally planned. Instead, out of some will not his own, he ended up at the DeSalvo dojo. He didn't remember when he started heading in that direction, he had just looked up to realize he was there. Methos blamed it on his earlier thoughts of MacLeod. Damn him. He was always finding new ways of weaseling his way into Methos' subconscious mind, even if MacLeod himself wasn't completely aware of it. Methos sighed. 'Oh well,' he thought. 'I might as well go on in there.' He approached the dojo and nervously put a hand on his sword as he felt an Immortal presence. He knew it was probably MacLeod, but Methos hadn't live to be as old as he was by being careless. He approached cautiously and knocked on the back door. It was immediately opened by a robed highlander holding a sword. Apparently he hadn't gotten up early this morning either. Methos suddenly felt another Immortal presence. Amanda. That explains that. "Sorry to bother you, MacLeod. I was just walking by and I thought I'd stop and say hello. Good afternoon, Amanda." Methos said to the beautiful black-haired Immortal as he pushed his way past MacLeod and plopped himself down on the couch. "I'm not interrupting anything, am I?" Methos asked, feigning complete innocence and concern for his intrusion.  
  
"Oh, of course not, Methos. Why ever would you think something like that?" Amanda asked, looking just as innocent. MacLeod sighed in the background as he closed the door.  
  
"To whom do I owe this unexpected visit, Methos?" MacLeod asked, sounding as if he had gotten cheated by whomever it was.  
  
"Oh, no one. Except my own feet. I decided I'd go for a walk, and I ended up here. The funny thing is, I don't remember deciding to do any of that. Hmm. Oh well. I guess the dojo just seems to be centrally located."  
  
"I'm sure. What do you want, Methos?" MacLeod asked with another sigh.  
  
"Oh a beer would be nice. You don't mind, do you?" Methos put on his most sheepish look.  
  
"Oh not at all, your majesty." MacLeod bowed with a flourish and headed off to the kitchen.  
  
"Psst. What's wrong with him? Was it something I said?" Methos asked looking every bit the concerned friend he was portraying. Amanda sighed at the question. 'There goes my morning,' she thought. Methos just smiled.  
  
***  
  
Kronos drank heavily from the glass of bourbon in front of him. God, how he had felt that he needed it. He had been feeling more and more depressed lately. It was a sinking depression. The longer it lasted, the worse he felt. Nothing seemed to be able to snap him out of it. He had just sat around his room at the sub base doing nothing. Just thinking about the things that would never be. The four horsemen could and never would be again. Just the looking at the motif of fours in the place made him want to tear it apart. But, he refrained himself, yet another thing he could probably attribute to Methos, being able to reign in his anger before it got out of control. If he had been the way he was before, he probably would have torn the place apart. Now, that idea did still appeal to him, but he wouldn't allow himself to follow it through. He had changed. He was the not the same as he had been. He doubted he ever would be again. For better or worse, this was how he was now. He had to accept it. What the hell was he doing here feeling sorry for himself? He was 4000 years old! He has been the leader of the most feared band of men in all history! Damn Methos for making him like this! Damn himself for letting him! Kronos was disgusted with himself. He threw down a couple of bills for the drink and headed outside. He needed some change. Something new. 'Well, I could always travel,' Kronos mused. Yes, that appealed to his characteristic sense of wanderlust, which had been put down for so long. But where would he go? The answer came to him almost immediately. America.  
  
He boarded a plane as soon as he could. Practically as soon as he got to the airport, coincidentally enough. A plane was leaving for Denver, Colorado in about 10 minutes. He quickly bought a ticket with his seemingly un-endless amount of cash and headed for his plane to the New World.  
  
***  
  
Sipping his beer, Methos called out to Amanda, who had just gotten finished dressing, "So Amanda, how long have you been in town?"  
  
"I only just arrived late last night." Amanda said.  
  
"Well then, I must take you out to lunch. Besides, I'm starving. I kind of skipped breakfast. Oh, and I guess MacLeod can come along to if he wants." Methos said with a small smirk, pulling on his jacket, and already heading out the door. "Coming my dear?" he lowered a hand to Amanda who clasped it with a smile, and latched onto Methos' arm.  
  
"Coming, Mac? We'll have to use your car anyway, seeing how Mr. Forgetful here forgot that he walked over here." Methos tried to hide a sheepish grin. MacLeod sighed.  
  
"If I must." He finally agreed.  
  
"Oh you must darling, you must." Amanda said as she linked her other arm around MacLeod's and led the two of them out of the door.  
  
***  
  
Kronos walked down the walkway heading to the plane. He was a bit nervous. He had never liked planes. In fact, he hated them. It seemed unnatural to him to be able to fly without wings. Well, unless you counted the fact that the plane did have wings, but Kronos didn't. But since if was the fastest way to travel now a days, he abided by it. And besides, he wasn't about to let anything like that get to him. Kronos made his way to his seat and looked at it dismayed. A window seat. Well, the curtain-like thing was just going to have to stay down for the entire trip. And God help whoever sat next to him if they tried to raise it. Kronos just leaned back in his seat and waited patiently for the flight to begin. Just before the attendants were about to close the outer door, a voice shouted out "Wait! Wait! Don't close that door! Don't leave without me! Please! This is the only way home!" The voice was American. The attendants didn't look happy about being delayed, but they obliged. Kronos didn't bother looking up at whomever had made such a fuss. He heard the person moving through the aisles, making a lot of commotion as they bumped into people and things, making apologies as they went and then the person stopped. Right next to the seat beside Kronos. He tried not to groan. 'Why me of all people?' The woman took her seat next to him, after stashing a small bag in the overhead compartment. "Hello, my name is Valerie Viscount, originally from Loveland, Colorado. I guess I am to be your seat partner for the flight. And you are?" She prompted with a smile on her face. Kronos took in her features before answering, committing them to his excellent memory. Long straight reddish brown hair with hazel eyes, set on a very round face. A medium sized triangle nose in the middle of it all. She was thin, but not overly so. Not very tall, from the looks of it, but she had long slender legs. She was dressed casually in a dark maroon long sleeved shirt and black pants. She had on a pair of leather boots with both a zipper on the sides and laces up the front. Kronos struggled to remember the alias he had given to get on the plane. Something British sounding, um . . . Nigel. That was it. Nigel Kretzlich.  
  
"My name is Nigel Kretzlich." Kronos told her finally. She burst out laughing right then and there.  
  
"Nigel?! Your name is Nigel?" She broke out between her loud laughter. The other passengers didn't look like they found anything funny. "I'm sorry, but I find that terribly amusing. However did you end up with a name like Nigel? It's so, so, so not you! No wait, I guess it could be you, I don't know you very well, since we just met, and I sometimes make assumptions of other people, and if you like your name, then so be it, and I hope I didn't offend you in anyway, that would be bad, I would have no one to talk to on this long flight, and I do mean long. Am I talking to fast?" She finished with a gasp. "Sorry about that. Sometimes it's hard to stop once I get going. I really didn't mean to make fun of your name. I hope we can still be friends." She finished with a smile. Kronos just sat there stunned. This was going to be a very long flight.  
  
***  
  
Cassandra was having a dream. The same dream she had every night for the past 3000 years. It was about her life as a slave of the Horsemen. About Methos. About Kronos. But this time something was different. Methos had been the one to kill her rather than Kronos. She had become Kronos' slave, not Methos'. She had stabbed Methos to make her final escape. Everything was opposite from how she remembered it. What could this mean?  
  
Cassandra woke up with a start. She quickly took in what was surrounding her to bring her back to the present. She was no longer a slave. She was no longer in Kronos' hands. Or were they Methos'? She had never had a dream like this before. She had to find out what it meant, even if that meant facing the demons of that long ago time once again. She had to know. Did they still survive?  
  
***  
  
Kronos laughed. "And so you just left them there speechless?" He asked the person sitting next to him.  
  
"Yes" Valerie fairly wheezed out through her own laughter. "You should've seen their faces!"  
  
Kronos fairly roared with laughter. The other passengers on the plane gave them both dirty looks, but Kronos was having too much fun to care. Valerie had turned out nothing like he had thought she was going to be. She was absolutely beautiful, funny, and fun to be around. Kronos thought for a minute. He hadn't felt this way about a woman in a long time. A very long time. Not since his last wife, a beautiful immortal woman named Allorem who had at once been his equal and his slave at the same time.  
  
She had been a wild temptress and thief of men's very souls, and even though Kronos hadn't thought he had one, she had taken his as well. He had been completely engulfed by her wiles. In fact, he had enjoyed her enough to spare her life as a slave of the Horsemen and to even marry her. It ended badly though. She had thought herself greater than the Horsemen. She had forgotten her place, and he had forced her out of the camp to fend for herself in the Immortal world. Kronos sometimes wondered what had ever happened to her. He wondered if she was even still alive.  
  
"Nigel? Nigel? Come back to the earth where you belong." Valerie's voice broke though his thoughts. He looked up at her again. "Where did you go? You were laughing and suddenly you stopped and got this stupid 'dur' look on your face."  
  
"I'm sorry, I was thinking of something." Kronos excused himself almost sheepishly. 'What is happening to me?' he thought. 'I'm letting myself be taken by some woman! And what the heck did 'dur' mean? He shook his head a little, he really had changed. And it was all Methos' fault. Damn him. He was in love.  
  
***  
  
Methos, MacLeod, and Amanda had gone to the best place that they knew of in town for a good lunch. Joe's.  
  
"How are you doing, Joe?" Amanda asked the 50-year-old man with a salt and pepper hair and beard behind the bar. The man in question looked up from the beer mug he was filling and smiled.  
  
"Amanda! When did you get back in town? It's good to see you again." Joe said as he finished filling the beer, handed it to a customer at the bar and limped out to Amanda, leaning heavily on his cane.  
  
"Oh, late last night. I would've come and seen you, but the bar was closed by then. I'm doing fine, thank you very much for asking, and how have you been?"  
  
"I'm good. Things here at the bar have been going great and MacLeod here hasn't had any real crises lately and that's always a plus toward my personal sanity and safety."  
  
"Hey Joe, I'm just going to help myself to a beer if you don't mind." Methos said, casually slipping behind the bar, not waiting for a blessing.  
  
Joe sighed. "Why don't you guys have a seat? Is there anything I can do for you while you're here?"  
  
"Well, actually we came here because I'm starving." Methos said taking a seat with beer in hand.  
  
"Well, that's what I'm here for, Adam." Joe told him.  
  
"Hmm. I'd like a double hamburger and french fries please." He looked up at the others' expressions. "What? It's not like it can kill me, now is it?" Amanda and MacLeod sighed and made their own orders to Joe who left briefly to go to the kitchen and have the cook prepare them. Leaving the three Immortals to chat amongst themselves.  
  
***  
  
Cassandra was getting nowhere in her search. She could find no mention of neither Methos nor Kronos in anything except legends. Methos, the world's oldest man, and Kronos, legendary leader of the four horsemen of the apocalypse. But that was all. She had no real sources for information among other Immortals either. She was relatively unknown in the Immortal community, and she liked to keep it that way. She didn't much care for challenges from other Immortals. If she faced one, she would either run or use the Voice against her opponents. She didn't like to fight. In fact, she knew she wasn't a very good fighter at either. She knew that one day, she wouldn't be able to run, and the Immortal she was facing would be immune to the Voice, Cassandra had seen it happen before by very old Immortals, and she would lose her head. Cassandra accepted this fate. She had lived a very long life. Millennia longer than any one human should be allowed to live, and she definitely did not want to be the One. The very thought of that outcome made her shudder. She had always been a relatively solitary Immortal, but to be the last of her kind on earth . . . to have no one else to share her experiences with that would really understand? To Cassandra, that would be worse than the Horsemen. Much worse. As she walked and pondered these thoughts, she noticed someone was following her. A girl, mid twenties, writing down things in a small notebook. Why was this girl following her? Cassandra went to find out.  
  
Marie-Claire de Lioncourte was nervous. She tried not to be, but she couldn't help it. She tried to be everything a Watcher was supposed to be, but she was just nervous. It wasn't really her fault though. She had only been assigned as a field Watcher the previous week. HQ decided to give her someone easy to watch as her first assignment. Cassandra. She didn't go out much, and she didn't know about Watchers yet, which was surprising, given her connections to Duncan MacLeod. Marie-Claire knew that MacLeod knew about Watchers. He had learned through his own Watcher, Joe Dawson. Dawson was an oath-breaker, but Marie-Claire didn't think of him in that negative way. In fact, she wished she herself had the courage to do what Dawson had done. She hadn't been a field agent very long and already she had felt the pressures of the oath of non-interference. She wanted so much to know Immortals. To talk to them. To find out what they knew. Imagine what kind of things one could learn from someone who had been alive for hundreds if not thousands of years. Imagine what Watchers could learn from someone like Methos, a 5000 year old Immortal, supposedly the oldest of his kind. What secrets could he have learned over the course of his life? Of course no one even knew whether or not Methos actually existed.  
  
Marie-Claire looked up from her thoughts to find that she had lost Cassandra. "Damn! Where could she have gone? I only looked away for a second!" she said to herself. "Oh, I am in so much trouble!" She hurriedly searched the area around her, hoping that she had just missed Cassandra. She looked around corners, even asked passers by if they had seen a woman with long reddish brown hair come their way. She got no's all around. She slumped down on a park bench dejectedly.  
  
"Are you looking for me?" a woman's voice whispered to her. Marie- Claire looked up in surprise. That was Cassandra's voice!  
  
"I um . . . no. I was just . . . " Marie-Claire stammered, not knowing what to do. She had never paid much attention to the classes at the Watcher Academy on what to do if you ever met your Immortal face to face. She hadn't thought she'd needed to.  
  
"You were looking for me, and I know it. Don't lie to me girl. Who are you?"  
  
"I'm sorry but I don't know what you're talking about. I'm a student at the University. Nothing more. I wasn't following you." She tried to look scared and innocent. She tried to look like she was telling the truth. She didn't think it was working though.  
  
"I warned you not to lie to me, girl. Now you will face the penalty. {Come with me}" Cassandra said, using the Voice on the poor young girl. She hadn't wanted too, but the girl had given her no choice, refusing to cooperate and tell her why she was following her. She led the girl into her apartment, forcing her to take a seat at the couch. "{Now, who are you?}" Cassandra sat down beside her as Marie-Claire began to speak. 


	2. Chapter Two

The Blood of Brotherhood by Merrie Thomas Part II  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own nor claim to own Methos, Kronos, MacLeod, Amanda, Joe, Cassandra or any other characters from Highlander. If I did own them, I would be making new episodes instead of writing fan fiction in place of new episodes. Oh well. (sigh)  
  
Summary: Methos and Kronos were brothers. In arms, in blood, in everything except birth. What exactly does this mean for Immortals?  
  
Characters: DM, J, M, A, C, K, Valerie Viscount OFC  
  
Author's Note: This is an alternate-universe story based around the events of Comes A Horseman and Revelations 6:8, WARNING if you don't wish to read about a Kronos romance, you may still read this story, but you won't like parts of it. Also, I live in the Midwest and I have traveled few places in my life, so I took some liberty and made some stuff up about the cities mentioned here. No offense is intended. Thank you to Clexian Kismet for your review. The following chapter is for you.  
  
Rating: This story is rated PG-13 for language and violence.  
  
Chapter Two  
  
Kronos braced himself as the plane geared up to land. Of all included in flight, landing was by far the part he hated most. Seeming to sense his apprehension, Valerie grasped his hand lightly. Now, ordinarily Kronos would never have let such a thing occur, but he hadn't been his normal self lately. After 4000 years of life maybe he was finally beginning to change. And then again, maybe not. Who really knows? All Kronos would admit to himself was that he liked the feel of her hand there. He didn't like the fact that the reason her hand was there was because she thought she was afraid of flying, he wasn't really, but he didn't let that fact bother him. Much. He was surprised at how much he had gotten to know the red-headed beauty on the flight. They had exchanged stories and talked like old friends. Who knows, maybe he had known her in another life. After 4000 years, he had met quite a few people that were dead ringers for people he had known, and killed, thousands of years ago. He pondered this for a moment, thinking that maybe there was even someone who looked like himself out there roaming the world. There's a thought.  
  
Valerie looked up at him, at Nigel, feeling something. She didn't exactly know what that feeling was. It couldn't be love. No, she told herself that she wasn't in love, not at all. But when she listened to his cultured voice and looked into his eyes, ice blue orbs that seemed to have seen thousands of years, she knew it was indeed love. She was shocked at this realization. How could she have let this happen? She was 25 years old, for pete's sake, not some head over heels in love schoolgirl. But she was. She had fallen in love with an almost total stranger that she had met on an airplane back home, not even knowing whether or not he felt the same way. She hoped that he did though. Oh, she so did not need this right now. Another relationship with a man she knew almost nothing about. He could be a mass murderer for all she knew. Nah, that was a stretch, even for her. He wasn't a mass murderer. He was a. . . a. . . she then realized that she didn't know what he did. They had talked all eight hours of the flight and she didn't even know what he did for a living. "Nigel, what do you do for a living?" she asked him.  
  
"I'm a scientist, why do you ask?" he asked curiously.  
  
"Oh, no reason. I was just wondering." A scientist? She didn't see that one coming. Not with looks like his. Maybe he was a mad scientist? She laughed silently.  
  
"What are you laughing about?" he asked her with a puzzled look on his face. "Do you not believe me?"  
  
"Well, you don't really look like a scientist at all. It's like I said earlier about your name. It just doesn't all seem to match. What kind of scientist are you, anyway?"  
  
"I'm a virologist." he explained with a small smirk on his face.  
  
"A virologist? You study viruses?" Valerie asked with a slightly shocked look on her face.  
  
"Yep. Sure do. Been doing it for a while now actually." he said, looking amused all the while. "I also create them."  
  
"Create them? What do you mean?" Valerie asked puzzled. "To help people or something like that? To make people better?"  
  
"Or something like that. But you don't ever have to worry about that." Kronos said, looking out the window in thought. The plane had landed.  
  
"If you say so Nigel." Valerie said, also looking deep in thought. She didn't know what he meant, but she didn't really care. What she did care about was where they were going from here. Would she ever see him again?  
  
***  
  
Joe watched as the three Immortals told stories and shared laughter. Joe admitted to himself that he envied them at times, people who could live forever. Never growing old, never dying. Telling stories about history first-hand because they had been there when it had happened.  
  
But Joe also pitied Immortals as well. He knew that the price for immortality was indeed high. He knew some of what Immortals had gone through, because he had witnessed it first hand. They outlived everyone. All those they had ever loved in their long lives were dead now. And even if they weren't, they would die soon. As he would eventually die. And if they were Immortal, there was always the Game to take them away.  
  
The Game. A brutal contest between Immortals to kill one another. To take each others' heads for some unknown prize, the winner of this prize being the only Immortal left in the world. With no one to share his or her feelings, Joe knew that they would most likely not survive. There would be no one to possibly ever understand what they were going through.  
  
Joe prayed that none of his friends would be the One. And Joe knew he was damned for that thought because as he prayed, he was in fact praying for each of his friends' deaths. For them to be beheaded in some meaningless game and for someone else to be the One. Who knows what that person would be like? What they would become when they realized the sad truth of what winning the Game really meant? Joe knew that he wasn't the only one to have realized this truth. He couldn't be. Joe thought that perhaps Methos knew this somewhere deep down in his soul. He looked up at him, looked into his eyes, and saw Methos looking back at in some kind of recognition. Almost as if he knew what he had been thinking. Who knows, maybe he did know. He was 5000 years old. What kind of things could a man go through in that period of time? It was unimaginable to Joe, and probably MacLeod and Amanda as well, even if they didn't realize it. How could anyone ever possibly know what he had gone through? What being 5000 years old really meant. Were there any who did? Did Methos have any old friends left to share his stories with? Joe realized that he didn't know much about Methos at all. How much did anyone know about him?  
  
***  
  
Cassandra had to think over what she had learned from the young girl, Marie-Claire. Watchers. Why hadn't she ever heard of them before? She was 3000 years old! But she wasn't surprised to learn of their existence. She knew that Immortals had to have been noticed by someone. Someone who didn't forget. Someone who started an organization to keep track of us.  
  
She had let the young woman go without any memory of what had happened tonight. Cassandra had no reason to keep her or hurt her. She had found out all she needed or wanted to know. She had the passwords for the Watcher database online. That is where she would find out wether or not any of them were still alive. And if they were...well, they were dead. Plain and simple.  
  
***  
  
Kronos walked down the walkway from the plane, his sword in hand in a long case, and looked over at Valerie. He really had no idea where to go from here. He liked Valerie, maybe even loved her, but he had no idea if she felt the same. He thought she did, after 4000 years he could figure out little things like that without too much trouble. He had become sort of an expert on human nature. Maybe someday he would get a job that accentuated that skill. He was only a virologist for the moment because he had been bored and it had sounded like an interesting profession. He also had a lot of knowledge of science that he was putting to good use. Of course, if he wanted to put his more extensive knowledge of terror to good use, returning to the old ways with plans to rule the world, he could also do so via one of the glorious viruses they kept in their containment freezers. It wouldn't take much to create something like that. Or to just steal a particularly nasty one for that matter. But Kronos didn't really feel like doing any of that.  
  
He had tried to return to such ways before, riding with mere mortals, trash all of them, killing a few innocents here and there, but with none of the terror and fear he had achieved as the leader of the Four Horsemen. The leader of the Four Horsemen, that was what he was, who he was. And now he was in love with some American stranger, with no thoughts of rape or murder in his mind at all. Well, maybe a few stray thoughts here and there, but not enough to act upon. He looked up, noticing Valerie had said something, but not hearing it. "I'm terribly sorry, I was thinking to myself. What did you say?" he asked.  
  
"I noticed." Valerie said with a smirk. "What I asked was, do you any family here? Brothers or sisters? That's why I'm here, visiting family."  
  
"No, I don't have any family here, but I do have a brother..." Kronos paused, looking westward, "in Washington. Seacouver. I think." he answered.  
  
"A brother, really? What's his name?"  
  
"Um...Adam. Yes. Adam Pierson."  
  
"Pierson? You don't have the same last name?"  
  
"No, we have different fathers. At least, I believe so. I don't really know."  
  
"What do you mean, you don't know? Were you adopted?"  
  
"Yes, something like that. But we came from different families. He's my blood brother, though."  
  
"Ok..." Valerie said, confused.  
  
"Don't worry about it," Kronos explained. "I'll tell you about it to you later."  
  
"If you say so." Valerie said, not quite satisfied.  
  
***  
  
Joe groaned at the sound of the phone from behind the bar. He had gone over to sit with the three Immortals, and had been taken in by their stories. MacLeod was in the middle of what was turning out to be a very interesting tale involving Fitzcairn, three young women, a lot of drinking in the local tavern, and a priest, and Joe wanted to listen to the rest of it. Who would be calling at this hour anyway? He sighed as he made excuses to the group, telling MacLeod to put a pause on the tale, and shuffled over to the phone. "Joe's, what can I do for you?" he asked the caller in an irritated voice. His irritation soon faded away to fear as he listened to what the caller had to say.  
  
The three Immortals watched Joe as he talked on the phone. "Who do you think that is? And why would they be calling at this hour? The bar is closed." Amanda asked no one in particular.  
  
"I don't know, Amanda, why don't you go over there and listen in?" MacLeod said with a knowing smile.  
  
"I would never listen in to a phone call! What ever gave you that improbable idea?" she asked in distaste.  
  
"Just the fact that you've done it before, and most likely will again." Methos answered for MacLeod.  
  
"Why you little -" she halted her tirade as Joe came over to the table, his face pale.  
  
"What's wrong, Joe? Did you get some bad news? Have a seat." MacLeod said, getting up to pull out a chair.  
  
"Thanks, Mac. Actually, yes it was bad news. But not for me."  
  
"What do you mean, Joe darling? You can tell us." Amanda said.  
  
"It was for Methos." he answered, looking at the person in question.  
  
"What do you mean it was about me? What happened Joe? Did something happen in the Watchers?"  
  
"No, not in the Watchers, but I'm sure they played some part in it, whether they knew it or not. Someone knows who you are." he finished quietly. Methos sat back and closed his eyes, not saying a word.  
  
"What do you mean, someone knows he's Methos?" Amanda asked.  
  
"Yes. Someone called telling me to inform Methos that he was coming."  
  
"Who? Did you recognize the voice?" MacLeod asked, casting a worried glance toward Methos, who still had his eyes closed.  
  
"No. Whoever it was, I either didn't know them, or they were disguising their voice."  
  
"Methos, you're in danger, you have to get out of town. Go to one of those places you're always telling us to go. Somewhere warm and tropical, and most of all, free of people. Especially Immortals." Amanda said.  
  
"I'm not going anywhere." Methos answered her, finally opening his eyes to look at them. "Think about it. Where did this person call? Did he call my home, and talk to me in person? No, he called here, where he or she knew I would be at this very moment. I wouldn't be surprised if they were on their way right now."  
  
"Then why are you still here? Let's get out of-" MacLeod was interrupted by the sound of breaking glass.  
  
"It's too late, MacLeod. Whoever they are, they're already here." Methos told him, watching as the gas grenades that were hurled through the glass, fill the room with smoke.  
  
"Methos we have to-"  
  
"MacLeod! You must listen to me! If I get taken and you do not, find my brother! He'll know where to find me! His name is Nigel...Nigel Kretzlich....Colorado." Methos collapsed to the ground as the gas did it's work.  
  
TBC  
  
A/N: I have written more chapters for this story, but I'm not sure I want to post them if people aren't reading. So, if you are and just haven't reviewed, please do!! Thank you!!! 


	3. Chapter Three

The Blood of Brotherhood by Merrie Thomas Part III  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own nor claim to own Methos, Kronos, MacLeod, Amanda, Joe, Cassandra or any other characters from Highlander. If I did own them, I would be making new episodes instead of writing fan fiction in place of new episodes. Oh well. (sigh)  
  
Summary: Methos and Kronos were brothers. In arms, in blood, in everything except birth. What exactly does this mean for Immortals?  
  
Characters: DM, J, M, A, C, K, Valerie Viscount OFC  
  
Author's Note: This is an alternate-universe story based around the events of Comes A Horseman and Revelations 6:8, WARNING if you don't wish to read about a Kronos romance, you may still read this story, but you won't like parts of it. Also, I live in the Midwest and I have traveled few places in my life, so I took some liberty and made some stuff up about the cities mentioned here. Please post reviews!! Thank you!!!  
  
Rating: This story is rated PG-13 for language and violence.  
  
Chapter Three  
  
"Nigel! Nigel! Wake up! What's wrong with you! Nigel! Help! Someone help! My boyfriend's fainted! I don't know what's wrong with him!" Valerie shouted out in the airport lobby, not noticing that she had called him her boyfriend. She shook Kronos' unconscious body, trying desperately to wake him. She got no response. She tentatively stretched to shaking fingers out to check for his pulse at his neck, fearing the worst. She sighed in relief as she felt his heartbeat, steady and strong. "Please, someone! He's alive but he needs help! Nigel, wake up! Nigel!"  
  
"Miss? I'm a doctor, what has happened here?" a man's voice asked her.  
  
"Oh thank you!" she cried, hugging the stranger. "I don't know. We were just talking, and then he just fainted! Please, tell me what's wrong with him!"  
  
"I'm trying to figure that out, Miss. His name is Nigel, is that correct?" he continued when she nodded. "Do you have a phone?" she nodded again. "Good, call 911 and have them come here. I am pretty sure he'll be alright, but I can't be completely sure after an cursory examination on the ground of an airport, now can I?" Valerie shook her head and did as she was told. The doctor lifted Kronos' eyelids while Valerie talked on the phone, noticing that Kronos' pupils were extremely dilated. Valerie hung pushed the 'end' button on her cell phone, and kneeled down at Kronos' side.  
  
"I called them, they said an ambulance would be here in a few minutes. They told me to stay with him." Valerie said in a kind of a daze.  
  
"Yes, that's absolutely right. You said he was your boyfriend, is that right? Try talking to him. Maybe you can get him to wake up." the doctor told her.  
  
"He's not really my boyfriend. Not yet, anyway. We just met on the plane." she told him.  
  
"I see. Well, that doesn't really matter right now. He will need to see a familiar face when he wakes. I'm sure he will feel a lot better seeing a face like yours after something like this. I know I would." he told her kindly, smiling as she blushed. "He's a lucky man to have someone like you to watch over him. I'm sure everything will be fine." she nodded and looked up in relief as she saw a couple of EMT's with a stretcher coming running towards her. "Here they come, now don't you worry, he should be fine." the doctor told her.  
  
"Oh thank you, thank you!" Valerie exclaimed, giving the man a hug. He returned it, and leaned over to talk to the EMT's about things she didn't hear or want to.  
  
"If you will excuse me, I'm going to miss my flight. Goodbye, Miss. He's in good hands now." the doctor told her, walking away.  
  
The EMT's put Kronos on a the stretcher and rolled him down the hall, one of them picking up the strange long case he had been carrying, and handing it to her. Valerie accepted it, not really noticing, rushing to Kronos' side. 'He'll be fine,' she kept telling herself, hoping to make herself believe it.  
  
***  
  
Cassandra stared at the computer screen in absolute, utter, horror. 'One of them lives, oh God, one of them lives.' she thought to herself. The computer showed the face of an Immortal in the early 18th century. Louis Kreude. Kronos. He lived. One of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse lived. The Watcher database that she searched in didn't show any more recent pictures or identities of Kronos, but Cassandra knew that if he had been alive at that time, he was almost certainly alive now. She knew what she had to do. She had to kill him. As long as one of them still lived, she would never be at peace. Never. Kronos had to die.  
  
***  
  
MacLeod awoke feeling like, well, crap. He sat up groggily from his place on the bar floor, and rubbed his neck. What had happened here? He didn't remember. Something about someone named Nigel. Nigel Kretzlich! Methos! Where was Methos?! "Methos! Methos! Are you here?! Joe! Amanda! Wake up! Someone's taken Methos!" "Urg. Don't shout, MacLeod. My head's killing me." Joe groaned from the floor. "Why are you shouting anyway?"  
  
"Someone's taken Methos! He's not here! And neither is Amanda!"  
  
"Duncan, darling, there is no need to shout. And I know Methos isn't here. I've been looking for him for awhile now." Amanda said, walking into the room. "Whoever has taken him is long gone."  
  
"MacLeod, Methos was saying something to you, right before we passed out. Something about how to find him if we were still here and he wasn't. What did he say?" Joe asked.  
  
"He said to go find his brother. Someone named Nigel Kretzlich."  
  
"Duncan, I'm afraid you must have hit your head when you passed out. Immortals don't have brothers and sisters. Well, we do, but not someone who would still be alive after 5000 years. You must have been mistaken." Amanda said, putting a hand on MacLeod's shoulder.  
  
"I know what I heard and I'm not mistaken. Methos told us to go find his brother. He said his brother would know where to find him. He also said something about Colorado at the end. Maybe his brother there."  
  
"Well, I don't see any choice then. We're going to Colorado." Joe informed them, walking over to the phone to make flight reservations.  
  
***  
  
"Paging Dr. Bolle. Paging Dr. Bolle. Please report to operating room B."  
  
Valerie awoke with a start to the voice over the intercom. It took her a moment to remember where she was. Glancing to the prone figure on the bed, she remembered. She was inside Denver Memorial Hospital. She had been there for the last hour. It seemed like she had been there for much longer. She put her head in her hands and thought over the events leading up to this. Nigel had fainted. Well, she didn't really think he had fainted, and the doctors had confirmed this fact. But they in their infinite knowledge hadn't had one clue as to what the hell was wrong with him. And now he was in a hospital bed unconscious, perhaps never to wake again. Valerie had no idea. She reached over and placed a hand on his neck, believing with her heart that he was still alive, but not her eyes. She gave a little sigh of relief as she felt his heartbeat, strong if not steady. Oh, she didn't know what to do. She had just met this man. Why should she worry about him? Why should she bother? She almost got up to leave before she stopped herself. She would stay because she cared. Because she thought that she might love this man, no matter what happened. She looked at her watch for the umpteenth time and decided to go for a cup of coffee. She didn't want to leave Nigel's side, but the cafeteria was just down the hall, and she seriously needed something to calm her nerves. She whispered into Kronos' ear that she would be back soon. She turned to leave, but was stopped by the faint whisper of her name.  
  
"Valerie, wait. Don't go." Kronos fluttered his eyes open.  
  
"Nigel! You're awake! Oh my God, what happened to you? You just fainted! The doctors said they didn't know what was wrong with you." She ran over to his side, grabbing the nearest hand in a crushing embrace.  
  
"Valerie, don't worry about that right now. We have to get out of here. Trust me. Help me up." Kronos sat up slowly and swung his legs out of bed. His bare legs. "Val, where are my clothes?"  
  
"Oh! Sorry about that. The doctors took them off and put you in a hospital gown when they took the MRI. They're in the closet with your luggage. I'll get them."  
  
"Wait, they took an MRI? This is bad." Kronos said, fearing the worst. He had dealt with doctors before. He knew how they became when they didn't understand something, and he was sure they wouldn't understand the MRI of his brain. An Immortal brain. Something new and interesting for them to argue over and do tests on. "We really have to get out of here."  
  
"Nigel, what's wrong? You're scaring me." Valerie said as she handed him his clothes and sword case.  
  
"I'll explain everything later, I promise." He said as he got dressed. He smirked when he noticed Valerie was blushing. He finished and stood up, a little wobbly, making sure to check that his sword was still in his case where he had left it. He knew that she was watching him, but he had to be sure. He sighed in relief when he saw that it was present and undamaged, the lights in the room gleaming off the sharp blade. He looked up at her as he closed the case and took it in a hand. "We must go. I don't know how much time we will have. Some things might start to happen to me, and you must trust me and not worry. I am tougher than I look." Kronos said as he led her out the door.  
  
'Tougher than he looks? He looks pretty tough to me already.' Valerie wanted to ask questions, but that would have to wait as she struggled to hold on to Kronos' hand as they ran down the hall. 'And what did he mean when he said some things might happen to him? And why is he carrying a sword? Just what have you gotten yourself into, Val?'  
  
***  
  
The flight, although only a short trip from Washington to Colorado, seemed to go for hours. Joe had booked the three of them in first class, so they should've been comfortable while they waited. In fact, the only one of that seemed comfortable was Amanda, sipping away daintily at a flute of champagne. But McLeod knew better. He had known Amanda too long to not notice when she was hiding her emotions. In truth, she was as worried as he and Joe were. He was sure that they had the same two major questions running through their heads: Where was Methos? And how are we going to find him? McLeod had been struggling with those particular questions ever since they left the bar. He also had a few others that wanted their place in the spotlight like, who was this so-called brother of Methos', and why hadn't Methos ever mentioned him before? The fact of a 5000 year old Immortal having a brother isn't a fact that you would be likely to forget to mention. That meant that Methos hadn't told them about him for a reason. What was that reason? Who was this man? And how would he know where Methos was, when no one else would? McLeod sat, so deeply pondering these questions that he didn't even notice when the plane touched the ground in Denver.  
  
***  
  
Darkness. For a while that was all Methos knew or wanted to know. Wherever he was, that was about all there was. Only darkness. He lifted a hand in front of his face, and he couldn't see anything. Of course, his eyes insisted on playing tricks on him and having him see things that weren't there. Methos stopped trusting his eyes and he closed them. He wished he didn't mind the darkness so much, but it brought back unpleasant memories of the 'kindly' folk that considered it their duty to bury the poor soul who had been killed in whatever way. Whether the burial had been accidental or intentional. He had experienced both in his long life.  
  
He had in fact, been buried alive many, many times. Enough times to give him a healthy case of claustrophobia. To take his mind off of it, Methos sat and thought about what had happened in Joe's. There had been a phone call for him, and then the gas had come. He didn't remember being taken, because he had been passed out. What he did remember was telling McLeod to find Kronos in Colorado. Or at least, he thought Kronos was in Colorado. He wasn't entirely sure. It was a vague sense. He concentrated and felt his brother's faint presence. He was still in Colorado, or near there, and McLeod, Joe and Amanda were hopefully on their way to meet him. Methos didn't want to think about the explanations Kronos would have to make about how he was his brother. How they had been Horsemen together. How they had preformed the blood sharing ritual, and how it had changed both of their lives. 'Wait a minute,' Methos thought. 'I can't be thinking about the past while I am trapped in the present. Who the hell has done this to me?' Methos scanned over his considerably long list of enemies. There was one person who stuck out in his mind like a glaring beacon. Who hated him enough to do this? The answer was clear. Cassandra. ***  
  
Cassandra looked up with a sense of victory on her face. She had been searching for so very long, and now her search was finally over. She had found him, and she would make him pay for everything he had done to her. The beatings, the rape, the utter slavery. She had endured it for a hundred years without a word. But now she would have her words. Yes, she would be heard, and those responsible would pay dearly for what she had suffered. She would get her chance for vengeance.  
  
But, she mused, it wasn't exactly what she had hoped for. The person she really wanted to make suffer was either dead, or somewhere Cassandra couldn't find him. But she would make do with what she had. She had time. She had all the time in the world.  
  
Cassandra turned off the computer and started packing. She had to get the first available flight to Colorado. Kronos was there, and she would make him pay.  
  
TBC  
  
A/N: Thank you for all the kind reviews!! This part was for you guys!! Please be sure and review again!! It keeps me posting new chapters!! 


	4. Chapter Four

The Blood of Brotherhood by Merrie Thomas Part IV  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own nor claim to own Methos, Kronos, MacLeod, Amanda, Joe, Cassandra or any other characters from Highlander. If I did own them, I would be making new episodes instead of writing fan fiction in place of new episodes. Oh well. (sigh)  
  
Summary: Methos and Kronos were brothers. In arms, in blood, in everything except birth. What exactly does this mean for Immortals?  
  
Characters: DM, J, M, A, C, K, Valerie Viscount OFC, Allorem OFC  
  
Author's Note: This is an alternate-universe story based around the events of Comes A Horseman and Revelations 6:8, WARNING if you don't wish to read about a Kronos romance, you may still read this story, but you won't like parts of it. Also, I live in the Midwest and I have traveled few places in my life, so I took some liberty and made some stuff up about the cities mentioned here. Please post reviews!! Thank you!!!  
  
Rating: This story is rated PG-13 for language and violence.  
  
Chapter Four  
  
Kronos raced through the halls of the hospital, not wanting to be caught when the doctors realized the full potential of having and studying someone with a MRI like his. He had dealt with such doctors before, as he was sure every Immortal had at least once in his or her lifetime. Mortals simply had to control anything they didn't immediately understand because of their fear of it. It was one of their greatest weaknesses. Luckily for Kronos, these people who had tried to gain control over him had another debilitating weakness. They were mortal. Kronos had eventually overtaken and killed the doctor, destroying any and all knowledge that he had ever been there.  
  
Kronos looked over at Valerie, who was trying her best not to question why she was being dragged through a hospital. She glanced over at him and noticed his stare. Kronos turned away before she could witness a reaction on his face from the absolute love and trust he had seen in her deep green eyes. He concentrated on the path ahead of them, focusing his concentration on getting them out of the hospital. After that, Kronos had to go back to the airport. He had to find Methos. He felt him faintly to the east, but he wasn't able to pinpoint his exact location for some unknown reason. Usually he was able to figure out where his brother was at all times if he simply tried to do so although he hadn't tried in a long time. Maybe the skill had left him. Kronos pondered this as he saw he had finally come to the front exit, and rushed through the doors, making his way back to the airport where he hoped the path to finding his lost brother lay.  
  
***  
  
Joe couldn't help but admire his two Immortal friends' ability to transport their swords in and out of any airport they went through. He wasn't entirely sure how they did it, but when he asked, all MacLeod or Amanda would say was, 'practice.' Joe wondered if the Watchers had any knowledge of their methods. Even as he pondered this, he couldn't help but wonder where they would go from here. This was the only place they knew to go to find Methos. This was supposedly where Methos' brother was. That in itself was something to be questioned. How could Methos have a brother after all these years? He couldn't have been adopted, unless Methos was some kind of Big Brother. And if that was the case, why then was Methos living in Seacouver when his supposed brother Nigel was living in Denver? And how would he know where to find Methos after he was taken? It just didn't make any sense.  
  
"What are you thinking about, Joe? Adam?" MacLeod's voice broke into Joe's mind, a welcome distraction from the his current line of thinking.  
  
"Not exactly, I'm more thinking about this Nigel character who Adam claims is his brother. I don't really want to think anymore about it right now, though. My mind has been going in the same circles ever since we left Seacouver."  
  
"Yeah, mine too. Like how can he possibly know where Methos is? I suppose we'll have to wait to find out."  
  
"You may not have to wait much longer." Amanda said, scanning the crowd.  
  
"What do you-" MacLeod stopped abruptly as he felt the buzz of an oncoming Immortal. He quickly scanned the crowd as well, looking for the source. He locked eyes on a familiar face. He would remember those searing blue eyes anywhere even if he had not seen the long vertical scar which decorated the right one. Melvin Koren. He hadn't seen him since the late 19th century in Texas. He put his hand to the case containing his sword, and walked slowly over to him, Amanda and Joe in tow. He noticed something as he walked, though, Koren seemed to be with a young mortal woman. Perhaps she was a hostage. That resolved MacLeod all the more. Koren would be stopped, no matter what it took.  
  
Kronos led Valerie back through the airport, not really knowing why he was taking her with him. He could simply leave her there and go on without her. Half of him encouraged that idea, while the other half cried out against it.  
  
He pondered over this for a brief moment, and then he decided to bring her with him, rationalizing it to himself by the fact that he would need help if he was to ever find his brother again. And what would happen if he fell unconscious again in one of the little 'spells' that had plagued him ever since that long ago day when he and Methos had completed that silly little ritual? How naive they had been then. The had had no faith that it would work, so they therefore didn't imagine the consequences that would come about when it had succeeded.  
  
He pushed these meaningless thoughts away. There was no way thinking about that time would help him find Methos now. Methos. Kronos had absolutely no idea where to look. He knew that he was in the east somewhere, but that was all. Where could he look? Methos could be any of a dozen states, or perhaps he wasn't even in the US any longer. Kronos was about to make a choice of where to go first when he felt the presence of an approaching Immortal. He put his hand to his sword case, cursing his luck. He had no time for this right now. He wouldn't run though, a Horseman never ran. He scanned the crowd for the unlucky foe who had come upon a Horseman in a hurry. He would kill whomever it was quickly and move on trying to find Methos. His eyes locked onto a familiar face. Duncan MacLeod of the bloody clan MacLeod. Damn him. If only MacLeod's mortal friends hadn't broken the rules and interfered, he wouldn't have to be doing this because MacLeod would have been dead. MacLeod walked over slowly, his hand on what looked to be a sword case. He wouldn't draw his sword in so public a place though. He looked to MacLeod's companions. One of them was an older mortal, leaning heavily on a cane. The other was a beautiful Immortal woman who was many years older than the child MacLeod. She wasn't even close his own 4000 years but he judged her to be at least 1000. 'So, the young Highlander is traveling with others to help him do his dirty work. Interesting.' Kronos thought. He had heard tales of the Highlander since their last meeting, and that didn't see to go with his boy scout-like character. Why else would he be traveling with other Immortals though? Kronos supposed he would get the chance to find out. He glanced over at Valerie, who was yet unaware of what was taking place. He really didn't have time for this.  
  
"Koren." MacLeod grated out through clenched teeth. "We meet again, and this time, I will kill you." Kronos looked over to the mortal who seemed to be taking everything in stride. So he knew about Immortals then. Kronos threw a glance at his wrist. He noticed a small blue tattoo there. Watcher, he thought with disgust.  
  
"We'll see about that. Traveling in a pack now, MacLeod? All the better. I will enjoy taking the lovely lady's head after I've taken yours." Kronos damned the consequences of that statement as he looked over at Valerie.  
  
"Nigel? What's going on? Who are these people? What are you taking about? Who wants to kill you, and why did that man call you Koren? That's not your name." Kronos cursed.  
  
"Wait a minute. Your name is Nigel?" the mortal asked with a wide eyed look.  
  
"What of it, Watcher? It's not my real name." Kronos spit back.  
  
"You know what I am? Wait, that's unimportant right now. Nigel what? What is your last name? MacLeod, I think this may be who we are looking for."  
  
"What? Him? This piece of trash can't possibly be Adam's brother!"  
  
Kronos was confused. They seemed to be arguing about something, but he didn't know what. "What are you talking about? Adam who? And why should I tell you my last name? What difference does it make what I call myself now?"  
  
"What do you mean 'what you call yourself now? Nigel, what is going on here? Please explain this to me." Valerie pleaded with him.  
  
Amanda looked over to the young woman clinging on to this supposedly evil Immortals' arm with fear and confusion. This woman was no hostage, as MacLeod had mumbled walking over to them. "Do you think you could help us clear up some of the confusion, dear? Could you tell us Nigel's last name?" The woman glared at her, losing any remnant of the frightened and confused young mortal Amanda had witnessed before.  
  
"Don't call me dear, I don't even know you. And from what I've heard, your boyfriend over there wants to kill mine. Why should I tell you anything?"  
  
Amanda shrank back a little in shock. So, the kitten had claws. "We're not trying to kill anyone, I assure you." Amanda lied through her teeth. She had become pretty good at it over the last 1000 years. She only hoped it worked. "We're only trying to find our friend. We think Nigel may be a person who knows how to find him." Amanda threw in a little truth in case her lie didn't work. "Now please, could you simply tell me his last name so we could either get his help, or be on our way?"  
  
"Fine. His name is Nigel Kretzlich. There, happy now?" she turned to Kronos. "I'm sorry, Nigel. I had to tell them, I just want them to go away."  
  
"I'm afraid that's impossible now, Miss." Joe said. "You see, Nigel is the person we have been looking for. He is the only one who can tell us where our friend is."  
  
"Wait a damn minute here! What in the hell are you people talking about? How, no wait, why would I want to help you with anything? MacLeod here doesn't seem to want my help, I'm pretty sure all he wants is my head, which he isn't going to get." Kronos looked over at Valerie who was about to say something to his last statement. "Val, I promise I'll explain everything to you as soon as I get a chance."  
  
"You'll get that chance very soon, Mr. Kretzlich. We need to go somewhere and talk. You have been named by our friend Adam Pierson before he was taken as the only person who would know where to find you. He even told us your name and where to look, although I was a bit concerned that we wouldn't be able to find you as easily as we did. Chalk one up to luck."  
  
"Wait a minute, Adam Pierson?" Kronos said with a bit of shock.  
  
"Nigel, didn't you say that was what your brother's name was?" Valerie asked him.  
  
"Yes, that is his name. Something has happened to him." Kronos answered her.  
  
"So you do know him, and he is your brother. What has happened to him? Did you have anything to do with this? Where have you taken him?!" MacLeod shouted.  
  
"I haven't taken anyone, you highland brat!" he looked over to Amanda, "Tell this child to stop his whining or I'll stop it for him!" He took a step towards MacLeod. MacLeod took a step closer to Kronos. Both Valerie and Amanda ran to their prospective men and barred them from coming any closer to one another.  
  
"Excuse me, gentlemen. This neither the time nor the place for this kind of behavior." Joe said after a clearing of his throat. "Now, is there somewhere private we can go and talk."  
  
"Yes. We can go to my place, it's not far from here. But I swear to you, if any of you try anything, the cops will be on you before you can say, 'it wasn't me, officer.'" Both Amanda and Joe nodded quickly, and after Amanda elbowed him in the ribs, MacLeod nodded as well. "Alright then. Now that we're all in agreement, let's get the hell out of here. We'll have to take a cab though." Valerie said, looking over the group.  
  
"That's fine with me dear, er, Val was it?"  
  
"Valerie Viscount." Val said, grudgingly holding out a hand.  
  
"Amanda Darieux. A pleasure. And these gentlemen are Joe Dawson and Duncan MacLeod." she pointed to both of them in turn.  
  
"I believe you already know Nigel here, although I'm not entirely sure how yet."  
  
"I'll explain everything Val. I promise." Kronos said as he motioned for MacLeod, Amanda, and Joe to go in front of them. "After you," he said. The three looked at each other and did as they were instructed.  
  
***  
  
Methos wandered the area of his dark cell, each step cautious, having read 'The Pit and the Pendulum' more than once in his long lifetime. He didn't bother asking himself why he was in the dark and damp place. Cassandra would want revenge for the years of torment she was forced to endure under his long reign as a Horseman, and this seemed to be her method of enacting it. He vaguely wondered what MacLeod would think of his 1000 year stint as one of the most feared men in the known world. Some part of his mind didn't care what MacLeod thought of him, and yet another part prayed that he would never find out what his supposed friend had done in his long lifetime before ending up where he was as Adam Pierson, mild graduate student/Watcher extra ordinaire.  
  
Methos' thoughts were interrupted at the sound of the rusty squeaking of what he assumed was a door being opened, and the buzz of an Immortal. He had to put a hand to shield his eyes as the cell was filled with blinding white light.  
  
"How pathetic," a voice called out to him from the now open door. Methos tried to discern who had spoken to him, but it was useless. All he could make out was a vague shape standing in front of the door holding something, perhaps a sword, in their hand. "Methos the Destroyer at my mercy. You have grown soft."  
  
"Who are you? What do you want from me?" Methos called out to his yet unknown captor. Up until now, he had been sure it was Cassandra who had taken him, but knowing her as he did, he was sure that she wouldn't enlist the help of other Immortals in her personal revenge. He didn't recognize the voice though, but whoever it was knew his name. "Show yourself!" He shouted in defiance.  
  
"You don't remember me, Methos? I'm hurt. I bet Kronos will, though. Does that ring any bells? Think back, I know you're old, but it shouldn't be that hard." Methos was annoyed by her mocking tone, but didn't react, instead trying to remember who she was. It came to him a flash.  
  
"Allorem? How can it be? I thought you were dead!" Methos gasped out, unbelieving what was right in front of him.  
  
"You remembered, how very thoughtful. Dead, me? I don't think so. Perhaps you should have killed me, but it's too late for that now."  
  
"What do you mean? Why have you kidnaped me? What is this all about?"  
  
"It's about vengeance. That's who I was, remember? You were Death, Kronos was Pestilence, Silas was War, and Caspian was Famine. I truly miss Caspian by the way, what ever happened to him?"  
  
"What? I don't know, Allorem. What do you mean this is about vengeance? Vengeance upon whom?"  
  
"Kronos." Methos drew back into the darkness at the coldness in her voice. "Why have you taken me, then? What do I have to do with your revenge on Kronos?" Methos asked warily, not sure he wanted to know the answer.  
  
"Did you think I didn't know about your little ritual? That was extremely foolish by the way, joining yourselves to each other like that." Methos blanched at her words. "Oh yes, I know all about it, and if I can't get to Kronos directly, I'll simply have to go through you. It won't be as fun, but I'm sure I'll take some pleasure in torturing the only person Kronos loved more than me. In torturing the person Kronos abandoned me for."  
  
"What are you talking about? Kronos didn't abandon you for me, he abandoned you because you had no restraint. You were as insane then as you are now."  
  
"I would watch what you say, if I were you, Methos. Especially to the person who has complete power over you." She walked over to him. "Kronos did abandon me because of you, and now because of you, he will pay for it.  
  
The last thing Methos was aware of before he died for the first of many times was the sound of his own screams echoing through the cell.  
  
TBC  
  
A/N: Thank you for your kind reviews!! Remember, as long as you keep posting them, I will keep writing new chapters!! 


	5. Chapter Five

The Blood of Brotherhood by Merrie Thomas Part V  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own nor claim to own Methos, Kronos, MacLeod, Amanda, Joe, Cassandra or any other characters from Highlander. If I did own them, I would be making new episodes instead of writing fan fiction in place of new episodes. Oh well. (sigh)  
  
Summary: Methos and Kronos were brothers. In arms, in blood, in everything except birth. What exactly does this mean for Immortals?  
  
Characters: DM, J, M, A, C, K, Valerie Viscount OFC, Allorem OFC  
  
Author's Note: This is an alternate-universe story based around the events of Comes A Horseman and Revelations 6:8, WARNING if you don't wish to read about a Kronos romance, you may still read this story, but you won't like parts of it. Also, I live in the Midwest and I have traveled few places in my life, so I took some liberty and made some stuff up about the cities mentioned here. By the way, I'm sorry for the delay, moving to college is hell on your posting schedule. Hopefully now that I am moved in, updates will be quicker. Thanks for your patience!  
  
Rating: This story is rated PG-13 for language and violence.  
  
Chapter Five  
  
The mixed group of mortals and Immortals were walking up the steps of Valerie's ground-floor apartment when they heard an ungodly scream echoing from somewhere near them. They turned to watch as Kronos dropped to the ground and writhed in agony. Valerie ran over to him from her place at the door, her keys dropped and forgotten. "Nigel! Speak to me! What is happening to you?" Kronos was beyond the point of coherent conversation though, and soon after Valerie had spoken, he lay still. Valerie cautiously put a trembling hand to his shoulder. "Nigel? Nigel, wake up. What's wrong? What was that? Please, talk to me!" Amanda came to her side and put a hand to Kronos' throat.  
  
"He's dead," she announced to the group. "We'd better get him inside." She stepped back and let MacLeod through to help with Kronos' dead weight.  
  
"Wait! What do you mean he's dead? He can't be dead! No! I don't believe it! It's not true." Valerie shouted hysterically. Joe laid a hand on her shoulder.  
  
"Valerie, don't worry, I've seen this before. Nigel will be alright, trust me."  
  
"What do you mean he'll be alright?! She said he was dead."  
  
"Not dead enough." MacLeod muttered under his breath as he hefted the Kronos' dead weight over his shoulder in a fireman's carry. Joe glared at him.  
  
"Trust me, Valerie. Nigel will be alright. Just wait and see." Joe assured her.  
  
"I don't understand. What is happening? What is all of this?"  
  
"We will explain everything, as soon as we get Nigel inside. Ok?"  
  
"Ok," she agreed reluctantly, walking over to retrieve her keys from where they had been dropped. She unlocked the door and let MacLeod through first.  
  
"Where should I put him?" MacLeod asked, knowing that if he simply dropped him down on the floor, his friends would have a fit.  
  
"Over here, follow me." Valerie said as she led him through a long hallway to the living room. "You can put him down on the couch, it's closest." She said, and gestured to a long cream colored leather couch, and helped MacLeod lower Kronos onto it.  
  
"I know this is probably not the time to comment, Valerie, but you have a beautiful little place here." Amanda said, surveying her surroundings with the observation of a thief. "Do you live here alone?"  
  
"It's just me and my cat Cronos," she said, gesturing to the large orange and white tabby cat who had just entered into the room to inspect the commotion. He jumped up on Kronos' chest, sniffed him a couple of times, and curled up and laid down.  
  
"Cronos, you say? What an unusual name for a cat. It sounds familiar though..." MacLeod commented  
  
"It's from Greek mythology. Cronos, the ruler of the gods. But that's not the issue here, the issue is that my newly-found boyfriend is lying dead, yes dead, on my living room couch, and that you people assure me that everything will be fine." At that, Kronos sat up with a large gasp of air as he came back to life, dumping the cat onto the floor in the progress.  
  
"Nigel! You're alive! How could this be? I'm sorry about Cronos. I'm sorry I didn't move him, but I thought you were dead, but you were dead, you just fell to the ground, and oh I didn't know what to do, and they assured me that you weren't really dead, but I didn't really believe them, and I was so scared that they were lying, and I just met you, I don't want you to be dead, and-"  
  
"Valerie! Amanda and Kronos shouted at the same time. They looked at each other.  
  
"Valerie," Kronos continued, Amanda having given him a nod to go on, "I'm alright. I will explain everything, I promise." He stopped and looked at MacLeod, Joe, and Amanda's questioning stares, "To everyone involved."  
  
"You could start by telling us what the hell just happened back there!" MacLeod shouted at him.  
  
"You wait your turn. Valerie, what I am about to tell you, you can never speak of to anyone. Do you hear me? No one can know about this. Promise me that you will never tell a soul about what you have heard tonight."  
  
"Or what, you'll have to kill me?" Valerie quipped. At Kronos' silence, she swallowed and said, "I promise."  
  
"Alright then. Valerie, I am an Immortal, I was born around 4000 years ago." he paused to take in the reactions his last statement got from the group. "My name is Kronos." Valerie began to laugh a little hysterically. Kronos looked over to the others, and they seemed to be holding back laughter as well. Kronos frowned. "What is it? My name used to inspire terror in nations. How can it possibly be funny?"  
  
"I don't know what that means, but the cat, the one who was on your chest just now, his name is Cronos." Valerie said, catching her breath. She suddenly stopped laughing. "Wait a minute, did you just say you were 4000 years old? As in, 4000 years of life? How can that be possible? You certainly don't look 4000 years old."  
  
"I don't know how it's possible, Val, but it's the truth. I am Immortal. I cannot die unless my head is separated from my body."  
  
"Are there many of you?" Valerie asked timidly.  
  
"Actually both MacLeod and Amanda are Immortals as well." he gestured to each of them in turn.  
  
"How can you tell?" She looked over at them, trying to discern the answer from their appearance.  
  
"It's not anything on the outside. We don't really look any different from ordinary people. The way I can tell is that I can feel them."  
  
"Feel them?" Valerie asked.  
  
"It's like a sense. I simply know when other Immortals are near."  
  
"Why would you want to know when other Immortals are near?"  
  
"Because they are probably hunting after your head. You see, we play a Game. A very dangerous Game that is probably nothing more than some drunken idiot's idea one night many thousands of years ago. We fight to the death, taking an enemy's head, and with it, his power."  
  
"His power? What do you mean?"  
  
"It's called a Quickening. It's like their life force, or soul, or whatever you want to call it. When the head of an Immortal is removed from their body, a lightning storm erupts, a Quickening, which enters into the body of the victor."  
  
"You get struck by lighting for killing someone? Isn't that a little ironic?" Valerie couldn't help but commenting.  
  
"It's not like that. First of all, it usually doesn't hurt, well, it does, but it's a pain/pleasure kind of thing. And secondly, you don't die from it, you are renewed."  
  
"And what is the point of fighting in this so-called Game?"  
  
"Supposedly there is supposed to be some kind of Prize to the victor, but I think that's a load of crap."  
  
"Why?" MacLeod asked.  
  
"Oh, think about it MacLeod. What good would having some kind of almighty Prize, of being the very last Immortal on earth, get you? I'll tell you. Absolute loneliness. There would never again be anyone who could ever hope to understand what you've gone through, or what you're going through. All of the people you know would grow old and die, nothing would be permanent."  
  
"I've uh, never thought of it that way before." MacLeod said.  
  
"Oh course you haven't. None of us have. We simply look forward to the benefits of having some great unknown Prize without looking to the consequences."  
  
"Well, Valerie, now that you know what I am, I will try and explain what has been happening to me."  
  
"Yes, I for one would certainly like to know what the hell happened back there." MacLeod said, coming over to where Kronos still lay on the couch.  
  
"It's a bit difficult to explain," he said as he lifted up his shirt. He gestured to the lingering marks of torture that Methos had gone through.  
  
"How in God's name did that happen?" Joe asked as he came to investigate.  
  
"It actually didn't happen to me, it happened to our mutual friend. I assume you know who he really is? How old he really is?" Kronos asked.  
  
"Yes, we all know who the Old Man really is. What do you mean it happened to him? How can that possibly affect you?" Amanda asked.  
  
"As I said before, that is a bit difficult to explain. Methos has been tortured, and therefore I am tortured. We are connected you see, through our blood."  
  
"What do you mean you're connected through your blood? Immortals don't have blood relatives." MacLeod said, merely stating a fact.  
  
Kronos sighed. "I have know Methos my entire life. We have traveled to and fro in the earth, and up and down in it for many centuries. We are brothers."  
  
"What do you mean you are brothers? Brothers in what? You certainly can't be from the same family, you said so yourself, he's 1000 years older than you." Joe asked.  
  
"Oh, but we were, MacLeod. Methos and I were part of the most feared band of men in all history." He stopped as he looked over at Valerie, disbelief written all over her faith. He continued, laying all before her. "We were part of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse."  
  
"The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse? You can't be serious." MacLeod said.  
  
"Can't I?" Kronos questioned, ignoring the lingering pain in his chest and walking over to where MacLeod was, his voice growing cold, "How can you be so sure about that?"  
  
"I-I don't believe it! Methos would never-" MacLeod sputtered, shocked.  
  
"Believe it, MacLeod. He and I burned, raped, and pillaged over half of the known world for generations." Kronos said.  
  
"No, not Methos-" MacLeod sputtered again before he was interrupted.  
  
"No, it's not true. I know you, Nigel. You would never-I can't take this." Valerie stated, and ran out the front door.  
  
"Valerie, wait!" Kronos shouted after, groaning as he got up from the couch to give chase. The others followed him.  
  
As they reached the door, however, Valerie was no where to be seen.  
  
"Can you really blame her, Kronos? I'm not so sure I would want to stick around if I found out my boyfriend was a murdering psychopath either." MacLeod quipped, his voice filled with hate and disgust. Kronos turned to him, his eyes blazing ice-blue fire. Before MacLeod could comment again, he found a long deadly looking sword at his neck that he hadn't noticed Kronos pick up.  
  
"Don't you say a word, or I'll take your head in an instant. The only thing keeping you alive right now is Methos. Never forget that. I love that woman more than I have loved anyone in a long time, and I will get her back."  
  
"We'll find her, Kronos. Now let MacLeod go. This solves nothing." Amanda said quietly, hoping that he was listening. She sighed in relief as Kronos pushed MacLeod away.  
  
"You just wait, after this is over, you're head is mine." MacLeod seethed as he regained his balance from the hard shove.  
  
"Likewise." was all Kronos had to comment.  
  
"Where could she have gone?" Joe asked, trying to change the subject.  
  
"I don't know, she knows the city and I don't. She could be anywhere." Kronos answered him.  
  
"I'm sorry to say this, but do we have the time to look for her? You said that Methos is being tortured, and will perhaps even be killed by whoever has taken him. What happens to you if he is killed? I mean, permanently killed?" Amanda queried.  
  
Kronos paused and sighed. "I'm not entirely sure. As you know, whatever happens to him, happens to me. Well, that's not always the case. It usually takes something pretty harmful to affect me through the link. For instance, if Methos were to accidently cut his hand, or something small such as that, I wouldn't feel it, but if he were to be tortured and murdered, well, you've seen the affects of that." Kronos answered her.  
  
"Is there anyway to stop it?" Joe asked.  
  
"Not that I know of, no. Methos and I were foolish to ever attempt it, but we were young and we didn't really believe or know about what would happen. We never even paused to consider the consequences. What can I say, we were young."  
  
"Well, where do we go from here?" Amanda asked him.  
  
"To be honest, I have no idea." Kronos sighed leading them back inside Valerie's house.  
  
TBC A/N: Thanks for reading, hopefully the new chapter will be up soon! Please post your reviews! 


	6. Chapter Six

The Blood of Brotherhood by Merrie Thomas Part VI  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own nor claim to own Methos, Kronos, MacLeod, Amanda, Joe, Cassandra or any other characters from Highlander. If I did own them, I would be making new episodes instead of writing fan fiction in place of new episodes. Oh well. (sigh)  
  
Summary: Methos and Kronos were brothers. In arms, in blood, in everything except birth. What exactly does this mean for Immortals?  
  
Characters: DM, J, M, A, C, K, Valerie Viscount OFC, Allorem OFC  
  
Author's Note: This is an alternate-universe story based around the events of Comes A Horseman and Revelations 6:8, WARNING if you don't wish to read about a Kronos romance, you may still read this story, but you won't like parts of it. Also, I live in the Midwest and I have traveled few places in my life, so I took some liberty and made some stuff up about the cities mentioned here. By the way, I'm sorry for the delay, moving to college is hell on your posting schedule. Hopefully now that I am moved in, updates will be quicker. Thanks for your patience!  
  
Rating: This story is rated PG-13 for language and violence.  
  
Chapter Six  
  
Valerie ran, tears running down her cheeks. 'I won't believe it. It's not true. Nigel would never..' but as soon as she began to convince herself that it had all been an act, she remembered Nigel's (No, Kronos, he said his name was Kronos.) eyes. They had been full of truth. She shivered a bit in remembrance. 'Oh, where am I going? I should have never run out of there.' She stopped running, wiping her face with the back of her hand. 'What was I thinking? Where would I have gone?' She gave a small chuckle at the fact that she had run out of her own house and looked around to get a fix on her surroundings. 'Hmm...' she thought to herself, not recognizing anything. 'I can't have gotten very far from home on my own two feet, so where the hell am I?' She glanced around, and her eyes set upon her salvation. There, at the corner of the street she was currently standing on, was a telephone booth. She ran over to it, glancing up at the street sign above it. 'Kenwood Avenue? I have never heard of that street in my life! Where the hell am I?' She entered the booth and fished a quarter out of her pants pocket, her purse left at her house in the confusion. She dialed her number, hoping that there would be someone there to answer it besides her cat. It rang once, twice, on the third time it was picked up. "Hello, who is this?"  
  
"Nigel? It's me, Valerie. I am soooo sorry for running out on you, I didn't know what to think, and now I'm lost, and I left my purse there, and I need a ride, and-"  
  
"Valerie!" Kronos shouted into the phone. There was no answer. "Valerie, are you still there? Valerie, if you're still there I need to know where you are to come and get you. Valerie?!"  
  
In the phone booth, a well-manicured hand placed the dangling phone back on it's cradle and dragged Valerie's body out to their car.  
  
***  
  
"Valerie! Valerie! Shit!" Kronos said as he slammed down the phone. He then began to pace back and forth.  
  
"What's wrong? Was that Valerie? What did she say?" Amanda asked.  
  
"She said she was sorry for running out and that she didn't know where she was, and that she wanted me to come and pick her up."  
  
"That's good news. What's the problem?" Joe asked.  
  
"The problem is that she didn't tell me where she was."  
  
"You mean she didn't want you to?" MacLeod asked.  
  
"No, I mean she was cut off or something."  
  
"So, maybe she realized where she was and is coming to meet us. She can't have gotten far, you know?"  
  
"I don't think so. I am pretty sure something happened to her."  
  
"Aren't you being a little paranoid, Kronos?" MacLeod asked. Before he could blink, he had a sword at his neck again.  
  
"I think I have a little right to be paranoid, Highlander. I think we all should be. You didn't think that the people that took Methos were simply going to let it at that, did you? If you did, then you're a fool and I can't help you. No, Methos was taken when he was with you for a reason. Don't you think that if whoever took him knew where he was at that particular moment they could have taken him when he was alone so as to not arouse suspicion?"  
  
"Well, yeah.."  
  
"But they didn't! They took him knowing that you would come after him. Knowing that you would find me. No, I think all of this has just begun, but mark my words. If anything happens to Valerie, they'll wish they were dead."  
  
MacLeod couldn't help but believe Kronos' cool threat, and prayed that they would find Valerie quickly.  
  
***  
  
Methos knew that he wouldn't be able to stand much more. Allorem was insane, and if she had her way, she would torture him for another 5000 years. That is, if she didn't get killed and he was left wherever he was alone to spend the rest of eternity. Methos knew that she would never let him go, never take mercy on him. 'Well, you know what you have to do.' Methos told himself. 'You have to get yourself out of this mess. Even if MacLeod is coming for you, there is no telling if and when he'll get here. It's time to rely on your own abilities.' Methos heartened a little at this, be began to loose enthusiasm as he looked up at the darkness surrounding him. "Damn it!" He yelled, shaking himself out of his impending depression. "You're 5000 years old, for Christ's sake! You have gotten yourself out of worse situations than this! Snap out of it!" Methos yelled. He had noticed that he had been talking to himself, but at this point he didn't really care. He should have been trying to find a way out of his confinement when he first arrived. He cursed himself again and slowly made his way over to were the door was and began his search for a way out.  
  
Methos had noticed earlier that there hadn't seemed to be any other guards watching over him save Allorem, but he was entirely certain. In fact, he prayed to all of the gods he had ever believed in that their were indeed others watching over him while Allorem was away. It their weren't, then he had little to no chance for escape. He placed an ear against the door and listened carefully for some sign that Allorem had truly left and placed someone to guard him.  
  
After a few moments, Methos heard coughing and quiet muttering. It was too quiet for Methos to make out what was being said, but that didn't matter. What did matter was that because he had a guard, he had a chance to escape. Methos cast his senses as far as he could, trying to discern if Allorem was still around before making his move. Satisfied that she had left the building, or was at least far enough away to not cause an immediate problem, Methos began his assault on the door. At first, there was no response, but Methos was persistent. His actions could not be ignored forever. He pounded at the door with his fists, kicking it when they became bloodied. Still receiving no response, he began cursing the guard outside in every language he knew, his loud voice echoing off of the walls.  
  
After a few moments, Methos heard the tell-tale sound of a door being unlocked. With a grin, Methos backed himself against the wall next to the door and waited. When the door opened, Methos made his move, kneeing the guard in the groin and kicking him repeatedly in the ribs after he had fallen. Once Methos was sure he was unconscious, he pushed the body into his former cell and locked the door. Making sure the coast was clear, he sped off in what seemed to be a promising direction, hoping to find an exit before his captors noticed he was missing.  
  
***  
  
"You got anything?" Amanda asked.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Do you know what's happening to Methos or don't you?"  
  
Kronos sighed. "Listen up and listen good. I'm only going to say this once. I can't sense Methos all of the time. It doesn't work like that. I don't know where he is all of the time. In fact, I don't even know where he is most of the time. I can only sense him when something extreme is happening to him."  
  
"But Methos was able to sense where you were and even the name you were currently using." Joe added. "I don't know what to tell you. Maybe the sense gets stronger with usage. I haven't sought out Methos through our link in a long time. Maybe he has."  
  
"Why would he be doing that?" MacLeod asked.  
  
"Maybe he was keeping tabs on me. Who knows? Methos always was a wily bastard. But none of that matters right now. What does matter is finding Valerie. Methos can take care of himself, he always has. Besides I would know if something happened to him, remember?"  
  
"You're right. But how can we possibly know who has taken Valerie? I mean, it could have been anyone." Amanda stated.  
  
"No. It's too much of a coincidence that she is taken now. I'm betting that what happened to her has something to do with whoever took Methos. I tell you what, you two find out what's happened to Methos." Kronos turned as if to leave.  
  
"Wait, what are you going to do?" Joe asked him.  
  
"I'm going to find Valerie." Kronos answered.  
  
"By yourself?"  
  
"I work faster on my own, mortal."  
  
"Yeah, well what if you have another attack? You won't be working too quickly then, now will you?" Kronos didn't know what to say to that. "I'm going with you." Joe stated.  
  
"What? No you're not. Joe, you're talking crazy. You can't be serious. Go with him? He's a murderer." MacLeod sputtered.  
  
"You are all murderers, MacLeod. Whether it's in the cause of self-defense or not, your entire existence is based on killing other people. I am going with him."  
  
"You are, are you? You don't seem too nimble on your feet Watcher. Why should I let myself be slowed down by you?" Kronos asked him.  
  
"Because you need someone to watch your back. Now, I may not be Immortal, but I know how to defend myself and others. So we might as well get a move on. I think we should try and find the place where Valerie was calling from. Maybe she left behind some clue as to who took her. I can call some people I know and they can find out where she called from."  
  
"'Some people you know.' Other Watchers?" Kronos sneered.  
  
"Yeah, you got a problem with that? Those very Watchers that you're sneering could help us find Valerie. So why don't you just stuff it." Joe pulled out his cell and made the call, not waiting for Kronos to respond. After a few minutes, he hung up and spoke to Kronos. "She called from a phone booth at the corner of Kenwood Avenue and Dunkleburg Street. Why don't you go find a phonebook and look that up while I speak with MacLeod and Amanda." Kronos glared but did as he was bid.  
  
"Joe, I don't want you doing this. I don't trust you with him. Let Amanda or I go with him instead." MacLeod asked.  
  
"Mac, I know what I'm doing, don't worry about me. You two worry about finding Methos. Knowing what kind of trouble that sneaky SOB can get himself into, you two probably have the more dangerous job anyway. And as for Kronos, I'm sure way deep down he's as gentle as a pussycat."  
  
"Or a tiger." MacLeod muttered. "Alright Joe, but I hope you know what you're doing. Call me immediately if anything happens ok?"  
  
"I will, don't worry. You two find Methos. Now, I don't know exactly where to being looking..."  
  
"We'll find him." With one last glance toward Kronos, MacLeod pulled out his own cellphone to call a cab.  
  
As MacLeod spoke, Joe looked to Amanda for her thoughts on his plan. After a few moments, he gave up, having discerned nothing from her countenance. "Are you with MacLeod on this too? Do you believe I shouldn't go with Kronos either?" Joe asked finally.  
  
"I don't know what to believe. I'm not one to judge people based on what they have done in their past either. Just be careful Joe."  
  
"I will." He said with a smile. He then glanced up as he heard Kronos enter the room. "I know where it is. Are you ready, Watcher? We can walk." Kronos began walking out the door without a backward glance. Joe looked at MacLeod and Amanda before following.  
  
"Call me if anything happens, Joe." MacLeod said in parting.  
  
"You too." With that, Joe headed out the door.  
  
***  
  
The first thing Valerie was aware of was darkness. Not long after, she heard a voice. "Ah good. You're awake." Valerie shot to full attention when she heard it.  
  
"What? Where am I? Who are you?" she asked frantically.  
  
Cassandra laughed. "My name is Cassandra. You are my prisoner."  
  
"What? You took me prisoner, you freaking psycho? Why?"  
  
Cassandra's eyes grew cold. "You should know better than to talk to the one in charge with keeping you alive, my dear." She said coldly.  
  
"Don't call me dear, you bitch! Why have you brought me here?"  
  
"Ah yes, I forgot. You don't like to be called 'dear,' do you? As for why you are here, you are bait. Pure and simple."  
  
"What do you mean I'm bait? Bait for whom?"  
  
"Kronos. He will come for you, and then he will die. Well, now that you know why you're here, I'll leave you be for awhile. I'm sure if Kronos feels the way I think he does, the very thought makes me sick, by the way, then he will come for you soon." Cassandra smirked and left the room, locking the door behind her leaving Valerie alone with her thoughts.  
  
TBC  
  
A/N: Hope you liked. Please post your reviews, they really do make me write faster! Thank you for reading! 


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